Morning journal and courier., 1887-03-18
News by Telegraph
 FROM ALL QUARTERS. THE RAILROAD HORROR. Expert Testimony Regarding The Bridge.
 A MURDERER's lll::l RELEASE. His Experiences In An
 Insane Asylum. ST. PATRICk'S DAY ACCIDENT. Church Steps Fall And In-. jure Several Persons. ::
ST, PATRIcK'S DAY ACCIDENT.


Expert Testimony Regarding This
 SEructure-Serious Defects of Long
 Contfnuance.
 BOSTON, March 17.-At the hearing in the Bussey bridge disaster this afternoon Harlan W. Brock said that he had been in the habit of visiting West Roxbury in the early spring. In 1882 riding under the bridge he noticed some loose nuts hanging down from the, bridge and rods from which the nuts were broken off. He notified young man in the superintendent's office and he said that the matter would be looked after. He subsequently, noticed that the trains slowed down on the bridge to a mans walking pace. Some time afterward he noticed that the de- feet had not been remedied and more nuts were of and he visited the superintendent's office second time. He was told by the young man that he (Brock) was borrowing good deal of trouble about that bridge; that the loose nuts had been found to be of no consequence and that if he was afraid to ride he had bet ter walk. Edmund H. Hewins of Boston. the builder of the west truss in 1876, testi- fed that he was in business for himself. Although hoping to form a company he adopted the name Metropolitan Bridge Co.," but it was never formed. He was edu- cated at the Lawrence Scientific school, Cambridge, staying there in 1869 and 1863, then going with the Detroit Bridge and Iron Works designing bridges. He designed the drawbridge of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroad over the Mississippi and sev- eral others on that line and on the Illinois Central road and some on his own account elsewhere. The Bussey bridge was the last he built and since then he has been engaged consulting engineer. The main tension bars of the Bussey bridge were made by the Phenix Iron Works; the balance of the work was made by the Trenton Iron company from his designs. The bridge was peculiar; the "skew" being sharp at an angle of 21 degrees, the center of the truss being about even with end on the opposite side. He then described the dimensions technically. It was intended to carry 5000 pounds to each lineal foot, and was fully capable of that strain, and allowances were made for even greater. The work was done in conformity with the specifications, and was tested by two loco motives and tenders, still and moving at speed. He thought the greatest dehectioD was six -tenths of an inch. A 'Eskew" bridge was more bother to build than a straight one, and costs more but is no more danger ous. The corner blocks were of cast iron. The broken one was as good for service to- day as it ever was. Bridge builders do not inspect every piece of ifen that is put into thsr work. There are inspectors tor that duty. The Phoenix company, one of the largest inthe country follows. that plan. No inapeafioA Of the Busssy bridge was made on behalf of the company that he knew of. He fHewins) inspected it as much as any bridge that was built was inspected. He was about the work often while it was in progress and generally supervised it. No tests were made ! of parts except by examination. The hang CTS were in such positions that they could be only partially examined. That method 1 of construction common far as he had observed. He considered l it correct form of construction. | He supposed that all builders exposed all parts of bridge that they could where it was necessary; in fact it desirable to expose everything possible where it would Lot in- terfere with more important requirements. He consulted with George Folsom before de- termining the specifications. The only test made. was at the finish. The loops were stood repeated satisfactory tests, though those shown had not been tested.
 Mr.. Hewins was asked for his opinion of the cause of the accident and said that in general he believed it was either derailment or breakage of some part of the rolling stock.
 MT. Kinsley asked: "You built bridge on the Boston and Maine road, didn't you ?''
 Hewins-''Yes, sir" l
 Kinsley-"Is it standing now p
 Hewins-''No, sir" l
 Kinsley-"Where is 2" l
 Hewins-''It was knocked down by train l that was off the track"
 After 8 further examination as to the | quality of the iron Hewins said he had in- spected the ties on the Roslindale side of the | bridge on the afternoon of the accident and l found no trace of derailment. The investi- l gation was then adjourned l
 The local improvement society of Roslin- l dale last evening considered the alvisability l of taking steps to prevent repetition of the | dreadful railroad disaster of Monday. The | result was the appointment of committee | to look after the interests of the community. l This committee to- oay appeared before the | street commissioners and petitioned for a l relocation of that part of South street which l runs near Tin bridge so that bridge can be | built alright angles. The directors of inc | Providence railroad will be asked to erect l stone instead of an iron bridge at right an- gles to the proposed new road. Tomorrow | the directors of the road, the street cornmis- I sioners and the committee of the Roslindale l Improvement society will visit the wrecked bridge with 8 view of ascertaiping whether the wishes of the citizens can be carried out